Robert Blake Pleads Innocent to Charges

LINDA DEUTSCH

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, March 27, 2003

AP Special Correspondent

Appearing in court for the first time since he was allowed to post bail March 14, a healthier looking Robert Blake pleaded innocent to murdering his wife and waived his right to a speedy trial until October, when proceedings are likely to begin.

The star of the old "Baretta" TV detective series told reporters he has gained about 12 pounds and has been sleeping a great deal.

"I want to thank Judge (Lloyd) Nash for saving my life," Blake said of the judge who granted him release on $1.5 million bail and ordered him to trial. He is confined to his residence with electronic monitoring.

Blake will be tried on charges of murdering Bonny Lee Bakley, solicitation of murder, conspiracy and the special circumstance of lying in wait.

Superior Court Judge Darlene Schempp set a June 19 date for pretrial motions.

Prosecutors filed documents compiled from testimony during the defendants' preliminary hearing, which showed that the case against Blake depends almost entirely on the testimony of two aging stuntmen who said Blake solicited them to murder his wife. Both men said they refused and suggest Blake then took the matter into his own hands.

The 69-year-old actor is accused of killing Bakley on May 4, 2001, after the pair dined at Vitello's restaurant, Blake's longtime hangout in his Studio City neighborhood.

Bakley, 44, who became Blake's wife after giving birth to his baby girl, Rosie, was shot in the head and upper body as she sat in Blake's car outside the restaurant. Blake claims he found his wife mortally wounded after he went back to the restaurant to retrieve a handgun he carried for protection.

Prosecutors say Blake despised Bakley, a con artist with a criminal record, and wanted to find a way to get rid of her but keep their baby. Blake has suggested she was killed by a victim of one of her con schemes.

A key piece of evidence for the prosecution is a prepaid telephone card on which Blake allegedly made 56 calls to one of the stuntmen allegedly solicited as a killer. Prosecutors also say Blake withdrew $126,000 from one of his bank accounts in the months before the killing.

The new allegations list 38 overt acts, only four of which mention Caldwell, who is free on $1 million bail posted by Blake last year.

Prosecutors have characterized a list found in Caldwell's car as a shopping list for murder. It includes such items as shovels, a sledge, duct tape, lye, pool acid and the notation: "Get blank gun ready." His lawyer has said the list includes typical handyman items.